The Board of Directors of the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo of Lanzarote authorized the CEO this Thursday to sign the Research and Development contract with the Spanish Road Association in order to launch the CITIES Timanfaya project, a "pioneering" experience that will allow the incorporation of an autonomous and electric vehicle on the Route of the Volcanoes, in the Mountains of Fire.
As explained by the Minister of Tourism, Echedey Eugenio, the bus is not driverless, since "Spanish legislation does not allow it and the technology does not even aspire to that yet, because there is still much to advance." "There must always be a person inside the bus controlling certain parameters," Eugenio pointed out, noting that what this vehicle will allow is for the driver to "pay less attention to the road."
"There are five degrees of autonomy, from the car we know as normal, which would be at zero, to the car that goes completely without a driver, which is at five. Teslas, for example, which are the most advanced, are at level three and we aspire to vehicles that are at four and a half, but they are not driverless vehicles," the minister detailed.
In fact, according to Eugenio, the section between the entrance and the Islote del Hilario "will have to go with a driver", according to Echedey Eugenio. "And the idea is that the part of the Route of the Volcanoes can disregard driving," added the Minister of Tourism, who stated that "there will be no job destruction."
A prototype that is expected to be operational in 18 months
The consortium that will give life to the CITIES Timanfaya project involves ten Spanish entities of "recognized prestige" in the sector such as the Carlos III University, the Spanish Road Association, 2RK Consultants in intelligent transport, Mapfre España, the Flight Mechanics Group of Systems, Vázquez y Torres Ingeniería, GMR Homologaciones, Albufera Energy Storage, and the National Institute of Aerospace Technology, involving 20 doctors and more than 40 university graduates in the process, according to the Tourist Centers, which point out that, in addition, "it has the maximum interest of the General Directorate of Traffic of the Ministry of the Interior, an entity that is favoring the development of technology oriented to the connected and autonomous vehicle."
"What we do is work with these companies and universities in the development of the prototype and what we want is to guarantee that in the development of 18 months there will be a prototype working. Then, depending on the costs of that technology, how profitable it is and so on, we will opt for this system or continue working with the same one," said the Minister of Tourism.
Thus, "it is not buying a bus, but paying a process to obtain that technology and then own the patents," according to Echedey Eugenio. "The idea is that all the patents that are generated along the way are owned by the Tourist Centers and that if someone wants to buy that technology tomorrow they have to talk to us and pay for it," he added.
More than one million euros in budget
The initiative has a budget of approximately 1,012,949 euros from the Canary Islands Development Fund (FDCAN). which is managed from the Planning and Coordination Unit of projects of the Cabildo of Lanzarote of the Ministry of Environment. It is expected to last 18 months, with an extension of three.
The CACT estimate that the implementation of electric and autonomous vehicles on the Route of the Volcanoes would mean "a reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere of up to 469 tons per year." Likewise, "the costs associated with the consumption of fossil fuels of the buses that currently make the route of the Mountains of Fire, which amount to about 180,000 euros per year," would be eliminated.
Rate for people with disabilities
Similarly, the members of the Board of Directors gave the green light to the new rate for people with disabilities, an "integrative initiative that responds to the needs of an increasingly heterogeneous public" with which the Centers want to facilitate access to those who want to enjoy the work of César Manrique in all its magnitude.
Thus, the Council authorized a 30% discount on the price of tickets for adults and children who accredit their condition. This discount will also be applied to the rates that the Centers have implemented for visits made after 3:00 p.m.
